


second chances and small mercies

by helsinkibaby



Category: The Mentalist
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Community: 1-million-words, F/M, Fluff, Het, Post canon, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-11
Updated: 2019-09-11
Packaged: 2020-10-14 19:37:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20606204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helsinkibaby/pseuds/helsinkibaby
Summary: Cho turns up at a crime scene gone bad.





	second chances and small mercies

**Author's Note:**

> For the September Comment Fic challenge, prompt “just a few more minutes”

The street was cordoned off when Cho arrived but a flash of his badge soon got him through the barrier. Years of law enforcement experience meant that he could read the layout of the scene easily so he headed for the nerve centre of the operation, guided in no small part by the flash of blue lights in the dim light. As he walked, he was dimly aware of second and third looks from some agents in FBI windbreakers who looked younger than he ever remembered being. He didn’t stop though, or even slow down - after all, when he’d been a younger agent, a Deputy Director showing up at a crime scene would have merited at the very least a raised eyebrow. 

Of course he wasn’t really there as a Deputy Director; that had been just to get him past the cordon. 

“Kimball.” He only turned his head and slowed his gait when he heard Jack Grayson’s voice. The other man looked like it had already been a long hard night, his suit rumpled, forehead creased in frown lines. Cho knew that Jack had at least another six hours of this ahead of him, to say nothing of debriefings and paperwork and he didn’t envy him that in the least. “I thought I’d see you here.” 

Cho nodded, short and sharp. “How’s it looking?” 

Jack snorted. “Like a giant pain in my ass.” His lips twisted as he looked around. “No, not really. The result’s a good one. The execution...”

His voice trailed off and Cho filled in. “Charlie Foxtrot?” 

“And a half.” Cho definitely didn’t envy Jack but the other man caught him looking around and there was a knowing smile on his face when he spoke again. “But you’re not here for that.” 

It wasn’t a question so Cho didn’t bother answering. 

“She’s over there.” Jack pointed in the general direction of blue lights that were a slightly different shade than the FBI vehicles. “EMTs checked her out, cleared her to go home. She’s lucky... our friends did not take kindly to her being an undercover agent.” 

Cho’s stomach swam unpleasantly but he didn’t show anything outwardly. “You need her tonight?” 

He meant for evidence collection, for giving statements. Jack didn’t respond to it that way. “Not as much as you do,” he said but he didn’t mean it in a bad way. Besides, he was right so Cho didn’t bother correcting him. He’d heard way worse in his time anyway. 

“Thanks, man,” he said, clapping him on the arm before he moved away, not stopping until he was almost on top of the ambulances. Then a man in an FBI jacket moved out of his way and he saw her, sitting on the step at the back of an ambulance, staring into space. 

Relief more than anything else froze him and all he could do was look at her. 

Her hair was loose, pushed back and spilling across one shoulder. She was wearing clothes she’d never usually wear, short of skirt and high of heel, the blouse hardly worthy of the name and he couldn’t understand how she wasn’t freezing. Especially when, pressed to left side of her face, there was an ice pack hiding who knew what damage. 

But she was sitting up and she was conscious and not threatening to bleed out in his arms so it could definitely have been worse. And it had, once upon a time, the memories creeping up his throat and threatening to choke him. 

Then she looked over at him, their eyes meeting. 

She stared and then she smiled and it was like the sun coming up on a dull day. 

He almost - almost - smiled back but he figured the rumour mill had enough to go on without that. 

“Hey.” He was standing in front of her with no clear memory of moving. 

“Hey.” She smiled up at him, her tone slightly disbelieving. “I didn’t think you’d be here.” 

He usually wouldn’t, this being her operation and not anywhere near his division. But he hadn’t seen her in almost six weeks and the second he’d heard the op had gone south, he’d been out the door and on his way. “Heard you got your bell rung,” he said. “Thought I’d come and check.” He reached out, carefully lifting the ice pack and wincing at the livid purple goose egg he saw there. “You’re going to feel that tomorrow.”

“Trust me,” she chuckled, her voice dry, “I’m not waiting ‘til tomorrow.” 

“And let me guess... you refused the strong painkillers.” 

Even in the bad lighting, he could see her pale cheeks flush. “I like to keep a clear head.” 

Cho bit his tongue, settling for a non-committal grunt that spoke more eloquently than any words could. “Grayson said you could leave,” he told her. “You ready to come home?” 

He wasn’t just talking about now, about tonight. From the way the tension evaporated from her shoulders, from the way she dropped the ice pack on the floor of the ambulance, he had his answer. “Kimball,” she said, “I am more than ready to be your wife again.” 

He didn’t even try to hide his smile at that one. He only let it last a few seconds, but still. His wedding ring caught the light as he reached for her, helping her to her feet and it caught her eye too. She reached up for his hand, hers cold from the ice and maybe something else and as his right hand closed over her hip, he could feel her tremble. He acted without thinking, dropping his hands from her body and removing his jacket, draping it around her shoulders and pulling it closed. He’d meant it to be comforting; instead he saw tears come into her eyes. 

He didn’t think twice, didn’t care where they were and who was around. He stepped into her and pulled her close all at once, pressing her body against his. It felt wonderful and familiar, like a cool drink on a hot day, like coming home after a long time away and he knew, like he knew his own name, that he never wanted to let her go again. 

He didn’t know how long they stood there, but he was very aware of the sheer amount of people around, the curious eyes, the prying stares. He and Michelle had always made it a point to keep their relationship out of the office, a fact which was doubtless prompting even more interest right now. Plus, he knew Michelle was about ten minutes away from breaking down completely and he knew she wouldn’t want that to happen in full view of so many colleagues, no matter how understandable it might be. “Come on,” he murmured, “let’s get you home.” 

He tried to move back, but she shook her head. “Not yet.” Michelle tightened her arms around Cho’s waist, burying her face in his chest. “I just... I need...” Her voice broke and he felt her swallow hard against more tears. “Just a few more minutes.” 

Cho sighed, resting her cheek against the top of her head. One of his hands moved up and down her back, the other cupped the back of her head and he closed his eyes and thanked whoever might be listening for second chances and small mercies. “We can take as long as you want,” he told her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “Just take your time.”


End file.
